Electric-switch mechanism.



H. 17". WHALTON.

ELEGTRIC'SWITCH MEUHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 12, 1911.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

ii! .iii .llrill UNITED TATE- s PATENT- orricn.

HILARY F. WHALTON, OF KEY WEST, FLORIDA.

ELECTRIC-SWITCH MECHANISM.

Application filed January 12, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

tion of the invention, such as.will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to electric switch mechanism for distributing an electric current automatically to different electric operating devices, as required; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of the parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

- In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagram of the switch mechanism and the operating devices. Fig.2 is a vertical section through the automatic switch, drawn to a larger scale. v

A, B, C, and D, are four solenoids or other similar electric operating devices of any approved construction. These solenoids and the switch mechanism are supported by a frame E of any approved construction. This frame may be the frame .of an aeroplane, or

other vessel, or vehicle, which is liable to tilt, and the solenoids are arranged at different parts of. the frame and are used to actuate steering vanes such as ordinarily used on aeroplanes and worked by hand. The switch mechanism is functioned and provided to select and place in action an appropriate solenoid according to the direction in which the frame is tilted.

F is the automatic switch for distributing the current to the solenoids. This switch is provided with a cup G of glass or other similar insulating material, which is partially filled with mercury g, or other similar conducting fluid. Y

H "s a cap or cover of insulating material which closes the top of the cup G.

I is the central contact bar which is secured in the center of the cap H, and which depends within the mercury to the bottom of the cup. Four similar adjustable contact bars 2, 3, 4, and 5, are arranged in the cup around the central bar I, and preferably at equal distances from it and from each other. The adjustable contact bars are shorter than Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Serial No. 602,333.

the bar I, and they are provided with similaw screwthreads which engage with screwthreaded metallic bushes 7 which are let into the cap H. The adjustable contact bars are arranged with their bottom ends a little above the-surface of the mercury in the cup, and 8 are guard tubes of glass or other similar material which depend from the cap around the adjustable contact bars, and which limit the extent of the contact of the mercury to the end portions of the bars. 2

These guard tubes 8 are secured in recesses in the cap H below the bushes 7 and independent of them, and they are open at their bottomends. Four relays a, b, c, and d, are provided, and their coils are connected to the contact bars 2, 8, 4, and 5, respectively, by wires 6, 7 8, and 9. These relays have their armatures connected to the central contact bar I by wires 10, 11, 12, and 13, respectively, and their annatures are also connected to the solenoids. A, B, C, and D, by wires 14, 15, 16, and 17, respectively.

J is a'storage battery the positive pole of whichis connected tothe coils of the relays a, b, c, and d, by wires 18, 19, 20, and 21, respectively. The positive pole of this battery is also connected to the solenoids A, B, C, and D, by wires 22, 23, 24, and 25, respectively.

l/Vhen the supporting frame is tilted one or theother of the contact bars 2, 3, 4, and 5, is placed in contact with themercury, and bar 2 is supposed to be in contact with the mercury in Fig. 1, so that the circuit is completed through the relay a. The coils of relay a being energized, its armature is attracted and solenoid A is placed in circuit with the battery. The arrows in Fig. 1

show the direction of the current, and the wires which are necessary tooperate the solenoid A are, shown in heavy lines, for clearness. The remaining wires are shown by less heavy lines and do not have arrows adjacent to them. The remaining relays and solenoids are energized in a similar manner when the remaining contact bars 3, 4, and

5, are placed in contactwith the mercury by the frame being tilted in other directions. The direction in which the frame is tilted causes one or the other of the solenoids to be energized for the purpose of actuating suit-- able apparatus, such as a vane, for rectifying the tilting of the frame. These vanes do not form a part of the present invention, but they may be auxiliary vanes or those worked by hand and ordinarily provided.

What I claim is:

1. In electric switch mechanism, the combination, with a cup of insulating material,

of a cap of lnsulating materlal, a central contact bar depending from the cap into the lower part of the cup, conducting fluid in the cup and constantly in contact with the said bar, and a series of contact bars depending from the cap and arranged around the tubes of non-conducting material having their upper ends secured in recesses in the cap independent of the contact bars, said guard tubes having open lower ends and being arranged to encircle the upper and middle parts of the contact bars.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. HILARY F. WHALTON.

Witnesses:

J. N. FocAR'rY, H. Mot}. COOHRANE. 

